Bert Stabler is bending you brain this 4th of July with SALAD-CHURCH-EXERCISE: A show about self-improvement through self-denial. With work by over 20 local artists, a massive salad potluck, and taglines like, â€œWhile large-scale organs of control, such as schools, hospitals, and prisons, enforce the social contract through a restriction of choice and a remote delegation of authority, personal or cultural techniques for redirecting and mastering libido, the inner primordial chaos we carry within, can be found in the options represented by salad, church, and exercise.â€ How could you go wrong. You can take the Orange Line to Ashland, Saturday from 2-6pm.

For the day after Independency Day, lets raise our torn jean jacket clad arms an Question Authority! Mmmâ€¦high school. But seriously, Kaylee Rae Wyant and Jerome Acks are doing something cool over at Julius Caesar called Hear Here. Framed as work â€œexamining the many ideals and complexities encompassing freedom, democracy and revolutionâ€ it should be interesting to contemplate after a flag choked day of â€œpatriotismâ€.

3. BEN RUSSELL

How many ways can you put your own name on a show? Well, if you are Ben Russell, as many as humanly possibly. How is â€œBen Russell, presented by Ben Russell, at Ben Russellâ€ for ya? Weird thing is, it ainâ€™t a solo show. Ben Russell is a new space in Pilsen, go there and check out work by Marco Kane Braunschweiler, Martine Syms, Paul Chan, Miguel Cortez, Roxane Hopper, Julie Rudder, and Kelly Kaczynsk are doing their performance piece at 9pm the opening night. Drop by for the Sunday opening from 6-10pm.